What could have been, but isn't
by moonbird
Summary: Based on the 2012 show! the Turtles are feeling down, they are so different and can never have an ordinary human life, but what if they all suddenly woke up and weren't different any-more? What is this strange new situation they have been put in.
1. Chapter 1

"Well done my sons." Splinter addressed four turtles standing in front of him, it was afternoon, and they had started some special advanced training in the technique of balance, which meant all the turtles had been forced to balance on tall bamboo sticks for the last half our, to their big annoyance, for ones Raphael wasn't in the lead at all, in fact he had failed most miserable, Leonardo on the other hand had prevailed, and surprisingly, Michelangelo had been a very close second in this excersie. "We will hold for today." Splinter stated.

The four turtles straightened up, all faced Splinter and then bowed respectfully to him, all though they weren't nearly done with the bow before they turned around and ran with a big yell, out of the dojo and towards the television, the comic books and the mechanical work shop.

April smiled as she sat down her hand-back, and brushed away a string of hair, she had just arrived a while ago, and was fully dressed in her sports clothes.

"ready for your lesson April?" Splinter asked.

"Aye Sensei." April smiled before silenced a little bit. "When do you think I'll be able to actually train with the turtles?" she asked.

"For some lessons, it'll hopefully be within the year." Splinter responded.

"Sweet." April smiled.

"When they go over basics again I mean." Splinter told. "Those must always be re-visited, even by me. You may always join us at warm up though."

"Aww." April hung her head.

"They are fifteen years in front of you, it's not because you don't lack natural skill." Splinter assured. "Donatello should be an excellent sparring partner for you before long."

* * *

Out in the lair the turtles of cause had decided to relax, Leonardo popping in space-heroes, Raphael kicking back with a comic book, what Donnie usually would do would be to dig down in his work-shop, it was his favourite pass time.

But suddenly this time, he was sitting absolutely still beside Leo on the couch, not even looking at the television screen, just looking incredible distant and sort of sad.

The captain in the show was in the middle of one of his usual speeches on the screen, talking two two alien races that had been fighting.

_"No matter how you look, what race you are, if you are a man or woman, remember, inside we are all the same, and it's the inside that matters." _The captain spoke proudly. "_What you look like, it doesn't mean a thing it—" _

The captain was cut off as the tv-set was turned off.

"HEY!" Leonardo shouted. "I was watching that."

Donatello murmured as he put down the remote. "You do realise most of the lessons in that show is tacky and pretentious right?" he asked.

Leonardo gaped. "You did not just say that!" he exclaimed.

"Hah." Raphael laughed from his own corner. "At last some-one just out-right says it!"

"Come on, it doesn't matter what you look like?" Donatello asked. "Then why are we hiding in the sewers?" he asked.

Leonardo blinked. "Where did that come from?" he asked.

"I don't know I just.." Donatello sighed. "I know what you guys say you know, I shouldn't be pining for April, and you are right! I'm just to different, a giant turtle." He muttered turning away.

"Some-thing happened?" Leonardo asked as he blinked.

"No, nothing at all happened." Donatello muttered as he raised up and finally walked to his work-shop. "That's the problem, I should just learn it, nothing ever will happen, I'm to different."

Raphael and Leonardo blinked as they looked at Donnie, then looked at each other. Raphael shrugged.

"You aren't worried at all?" Leonardo asked him a little annoyed.

"Njah, Donnie is right after-all." Raphael stated as he straightened his comic book a new. "We are that different! Stuck in a sewer and not even allowed to be seen, it only matters whom you are inside? Yeah right!" he snorted. "Can't even go out to make my own way." he muttered annoyed.

"That's not fair that's.." Leonardo exhaled deeply. "I'm going to put on another episode." He at last told, leaping of the couch, and bowed down, barely noticed the blue light that seemed to be slowly floating above him, then it floated towards Donatello where it summed above him for a while, seeming to grow, before it disappeared behind the couch Rapahel was sitting in.

* * *

"One thing I got to say." April smiled as she exited the dojo room. "This is great work-out! I'm starting to look good." She smiled.

"A healthy body and a healthy mind, that is the key." Splinter noted wisely as he exited after her, only to halt by the room of the down-beaten turtles.

April how-ever was all-ready on her way to Donnatello. "Hey Donnie, what are you doing?" she asked.

Splinter on the other hand, slowly walked towards Leo, and then sat beside him, for some moments they just sat there in silence, Leonardo hanging looking at the television set, Splinter sitting with straight back, also looking at the programme, before he broke the silence. "You seem troubled." He commented to Leo.

"We just ended up talking." Leonardo responded a little tired not removing his eyes from the TV-set.

"About what, may I ask?" Splinter asked finally turning his head to look at the turtle.

"Sensei." Leonardo took a deep breath before he also turned his head and looked at Splinter. "Us down here, we are _so _different." He exclaimed.

"Every-body is different Leonardo." Splinter replied. "That's how the world remains such an interesting place."

"That's not what I meant." Leonardo rolled his eyes. "Look at April, she can go to school, she can meet new people, she can go to clubs and restaurants if she wants to, you used to be able to do that! But we can't, because we are so different, we must hide, because people will fear us and attack us if we come out. It seems so unfair."

"It's not ideal no." Splinter at last admitted. "And I'm sorry I was never able to give you more than this, a normal life."

"It's not your fault sensei." Leonardo exhaled. "I guess for us a normal life was never really an option."

"No." Splinter admitted laying a hand on Leonardo's shoulder. "But that doesn't mean you can't have a good one." He then encouraged in a smile. "What do you think the point was with all of this?" he asked. "I want to give you all the chance to have the best life possible, though I couldn't give you a normal one, though that is some-thing to regret."

"I know Sensei." Leonardo sighed leaning back. "It just feels so.. Frustrating right now you know, I also want to have a walk in the park one day, I also want to go to an QnA like the internet videos, and I can't have it."

"Nobody can have every-thing." Splinter exhaled removing his hand from Leonardos shoulder. "There's things I wished dearly I could have as well, but that is not how life works, you just have to make the best of what you have right now."

"Yo." Suddenly Michelangelo's voice sounded from right behind them. "What on earth is that?"

Splinter looked up with Leonardo, and suddenly saw a blue light right in front of them, Splinter frowned.

"What the?" Raphael exclaimed.

"Hold back." Splinter stopped Leonardo from moving. "Don't get closer to it!"

"It looks like its growing!" Donatello commented. "Could be some sort of energy source, but where did it come from? And why does it keep growing?" he asked.

"I really don't know." April responded.

Wide-eyed Splinter looked at the source, which just kept growing and growing. "Get back!" he then shouted. "My sons, get back!" he stated pulling Leonardo with him backwards so they stood along-side Michelangelo.

"But.." Mikey suddenly stated. "It's so pretty and warm.. and hear.. music." He smiled a little gladly. "Cool music."

"It's not music!" Donatello then snorted. "It's people! Lots of people talking!" he stated. "Sounds important."

"They talk about space-heroes!" Leonardo realised.

"Erh, no they don't." Donatello stated. "They are having brilliant scientific discussions."

"Shh." Splinter hushed them as he closed his eyes. "Yes, there are some kind of voice." He admitted. "If I could just.. make them out." He frowned, as the light grew bigger and bigger, it grew absolutely massive, and so did the distant voices, until at last every-thing was light, and Splinter couldn't even see, he just… he just.

"Sensei."

Hamato Yoshi opened his eyes, and then blinked, some-how he had fallen a sleep while standing up, he looked in front of him, looked at his students whom looked questionable at him.

The twelve ten year old human children who made out his class, some-thing itched his mind by the number twelve and the fact they were humans.

"Sensei are you all-right?" A little girl with her blond hair in pig-tales asked.

"Yes I'm." Hamato scratched his hair. "I don't know what happened." He admitted and looked at his hand, which was a very normal hand, and nothing odd about it. "Where were we?" he asked.

"You were, talking about kicks." A brown-haired boy carefully tried.

"Ah yes, a prober kick." Hamato suddenly remembered. "like with the fist, it's all in the footing, but this time also in how to move your entire body so you are in constant balance." He told as he lowered his knees standing in correct position. "Remember to feel the ground beneath you, and the air around you." He instructed. The children did as he did, to perfection.. too good perfection. Hamato frowned as he walked among them, not one food was out of place, no shoulder to high or low among then young kids, some-how it felt wrong.

"Urh.. very good." He frowned. "Now.. try a kick." He asked, and all the kids did a kick.. all perfect kicks done in perfect unison. Hamato blinked. "Well that was.. very good, it's rare any-one gets it right the first time around I mean, my own sons even." He blinked, where did that come from? No, he had a son, but just the one, and a daughter. A son and a daughter, Miwa and.. Hamato shook his head.

"Sensei, are you all-right?" The same blond girl asked again.

"Yes I.." Hamato swallowed. "Why don't we have a break?" he asked. "Take five minutes and some water." He instructed. "I'll just need to." He fumbled towards the rice-paper door and managed to open it as he stepped to the other side and then exhaled. "What's wrong with me?" he asked drawing a hand to his head, then he turned to the left, to the mirror on the wall and critically looked at himself.

He looked fine enough, his yellow skin healthy, his black eyes clear, his black hair neat and combed, the rest of him was wearing a white nin-jutsu suite with a black belt, a thing very traditionally used for training. "Why does this feel so wrong then?" he asked looking down at himself. "Every-things perfect! I.."

"Darling are you all-right?"

Hamato spoon around and wide-eyed looked at the woman whom now stood in front of him, a beautiful beautiful japaneese woman, with long black hair, caring eyes that now looked at him with worry.

"Teng-Shen." Hamato barely got over his lips. "What? How?" he asked.

"Hamato what's wrong?" Teng-shen asked in a now worried voice. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I.." Hamato began but then blinked. "I don't know." He finally told his wife. "I guess I'm just feeling a little strange today." He told. "Maybe it's the heat." He suggested looking up, and out of the window, where out-side, true enough the sky was blue and the sun was shining bright.

"It has been awfully hot lately." Teng-shen replied. "Do remember to drink water dear." She asked of him. "And plenty of tea."

Hamato shook his head as he smiled vaguely. "I always do that." He assured. "You know that. Never become dehydrated, that's just dumb. Teng-Shen I." he spoke to her, then halted having no idea what he was going to say, or why he should be saying it. "I better get back to my class." He at last told, and turned around to open the slide-door, only to be faced with a class whom all stood perfectly still in perfect stands looking at the entrance waiting for him.

No one sitting in the corner taking a breather, no one sipping from a water bottle, no one chatting away and no one having a tumble on the floor.. this was not how kids behaved.. Not at all, some-thing was wrong! Hamato frowned as he slowly walked down. "Defence." He barged, and all kids did it, in unison and in perfection. "Launch." He stated, and ones again they did the same. "Kick." He asked and they all did. "Uku nuki mayi!" he shouted and all the kids did so, he witnessed all of them perform the highly advanced collection of moves to the utter most perfection, some-thing that should take years to learn from some-one whom all-ready knew the basics, some-thing only a person whom had trained for over a decade could archive, and since these kids were only ten years old, that was an utter impossibility, Splinter nodded shortly as he walked around them. "Pair up two and two." He then demanded. "Practise block and kick, I'll be back in five." He stated and walked back out the slide door, only to be faced with Teng-shen, ones again, she hadn't even seemed like she had gone that far, Hamato frowned, she didn't even seemed all that surprised about him walking in and out of the dojo so quickly.

"Some-thing the matter dear?" Teng-shen asked.

Hamato looked at her in a frown. "Teng-shen.." he tried. "Is some-thing about today.. off to you.. by any chance?" he asked.

"What-ever do you mean?" Teng-shen asked.

"Do you know where Miwa is?" Hamato asked.

"In school dear, where else would she be?" Teng-shen asked. "I believe she would be out in a study group after hours."

"And my son?" Splinter asked. "Where's my son, where's.." he halted as he blinked.

"Don't you remember dear?" Teng-shen asked. "This was supposed to be such a big day for him, he's done nothing be preparing for it for months."

"And the rest?" Hamato asked.

Teng-shen blinked. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"_My sons_." Hamato asked. "All four of them, Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo and Donatello, where are they?" he asked.

"Hamato dear.." Teng-shen frowned. "You only have one son."

"No, I'm quite sure I have four." Hamato stated. "And I want to know where they are." He stated advancing on Teng-shen.

"Hamato.. what? You look, what's wrong with you?" Teng-Shen asked stepping back. "You're scarring me."

"You're not supposed to be here." Hamato barely whispered.

"What.. what do you mean?" Teng-Shen asked sounding frightening.

"Teng-Shen you _died!" _Hamato exclaimed. "In a raging fire, I saw it with my own two eyes!" he yelled.

"WHAT ARE YOU EVEN TALKING ABOUT?" Teng-Shen asked in a frightening voice.

"Seeing some-one you love die, _that _is not some-thing you forget!" Hamato sneered and then a fist flew forward, ramming into the wall just behind Teng-Shens shoulder. "_Who are you?" _he yelled into the womans face. "Where's my sons? Why aren't I mutated any-more? what is this place?" he asked.

"_YOU'VE GONE INSANE!" _Teng-shen cried as she fell to the floor, tears streaming down her eyes. "Hamato please I beg of you! You are my husband, you own this dojo and earn a living giving out classes, we are raising two such beautiful children, what's wrong with that? It's perfect!" she stated.

"Perfect." Hamato blinked. "It is perfect." He realised. "To perfect, way to perfect, my perfect life." He realised. "Oroku Saki, does that name say any-thing to you?"

"I'v never heard it." Teng-shen cried.

"The Shredder then?" Hamato asked. "The Krang, Dogpound, mutants walking around town, as half human half animals."

"That's all insane talk!" Teng-shen cried. "Hamato please!" she lunged for him. "Listen to yourself, listen to reason! You are mad-talking, it sounds like some-thing a mad man would make up in his sleep! We have it good here, our family." she stated as she helt close to his leg.

"_It isn't real!" _Hamato hissed. "Let go of me!" he asked getting her hands away from his leg. "You are _not _Teng-shen! So don't disgrace her image!" he sneered and the woman frightened jumped away, and Hamato turned around to walk out of the door, the door that went all aside.

"Hamato where are you going?" Teng-shen called after him.

"I'm going to find my sons!" Hamato stated in almost a sneer.

"What about your class?" Teng-shen asked.

"Some-thing tells me they are as real as you are." Hamato stated darkly. "Which means they are not real at all, so excuse me while I go out and find out what _is _real."


	2. Chapter 2

On his way out, Hamato had grabbed ordinary clothes from the drying string out-side. Pants a white shirt, shoes. And even then he halted, as he was in regular clothes again for the first time in so very long, it almost felt unfamiliar.

So did it to just walk out in broad day-light, and no one seemed to bash an eye of him, he was completely unassuming again.

The sun shone freely from above on him, and it did indeed feel good.. but his sons were still lacking, and the city was huge, they could be any-where! If.. they were even any-where at all, this could also be some sort of relative where Oruku Saki had never turned into the Shredder, in which case Hamato had done a horrible mistake. "No!" he corrected himself. "Focus! I must find my sons, they must be some-where!" he hissed to himself as he found a man-hole, and pulled it aside to jump down in the sewer.

How-ever, as he finally found their lair, the old train station.. it was absolutely empty, there was no sign at all that this old station had ever been any-thing else than a train station that was falling apart.

The walls and doors they had build were no-where to be found, there was nothing, and even though Hamato looked for a while he at last had to give up and return to the surface.

One out-side again, Hamato entered the large park, warily he looked around and ones again it was just this big mass of people, Hamato barely knew how to start.

"What does that mean?" Hamato asked himself as he sat down on a bench with a lowered head. "Does it mean that my sons.. that they don't even.." he wasn't even able to finish the sentence as he burrowed his head in his hands. "No." he whispered. "They are real! And all of this is fake! I just have to find out how to get back!"

A news-paper flew past him and was just about to hit Hamato in the face, if he hadn't almost automatically grabbed it out of the air, he was just about to throw the paper away in frustration, all though suddenly his eyes fell on the title and he frowned. "Young Sciense protégé, wins another price for his high-school." Then Hamatos eyes fell down to the text beneath and then his eyes widened wide. "Donatello Splinterson, the protégé of julips high-school brings in another price to the school." Immediately Hamato searched the rest of the text. "Donatello, long since stamped specially gifted, having long since required university levelled honours for his innovative inventions." Hamato eagerly read the entire article, could it be! Was his sons here in this world, then he looked at the picture, of a young boy smiling brightly as he received yet another price, though as he smiled, it was very clear that he had a pretty big space in between his two front-teethes, he looked tall and lanky for his age, with brown slightly messy, but all-around groomed hair as he waved at the camera. "It is him." Hamato breathed. "It has to be!" he exclaimed. And the paper even told.. very specifically, where the young man would receive his price.. and it was that day! In a hour in fact!

Hamato didn't waste a second, he folded the paper together, stuffed it in his jacket and sprinted down the park, quick he found a sub-way, where he squished himself in among the people, a feeling he suddenly remembered wasn't all that pleasent, on the entire way out there, Hamatos heart was racing on the entire trip, be he collected himself to walk as calmly as possible as he neared the university, and was met with masses of people, even TV-stations, he had to press himself through the people, before at last he gained a glimpse of the tribune, and there he was.. the boy from the news-paper, wearing a purple shirt as he nervously waved at the masses.

"Thank you, thank you." Donatello spoke into the microphone, and Hamato recognised his voice, his movements, the specific way he talked, this _was_ Donatello, there was no doubt about it, Hamato sighed relieved, and was left standing to look at his son, suddenly feeling so proud as he smiled broadly while crossing his arms, observing what went on up at the tribune.

"I've been very fortunate." Donatello told in the microphone. "I would never have been able to do any of this without all the help, support and guidance I got, from my teachers, my dad and of cause, my girl-friend, whom is the greatest support any-one could ever ask for, thank you April." He smiled and Hamato blinked as he witnessed human Donatello pulling April out of the crowd, and she play-fully beat him over the head, but then to kissed him on the cheek, making Donatello blush deeply. "Well erh.. thanks for coming, thanks for the price.. enjoy the nachos." Donatello finished and stepped down, tightly holding Aprils hand.

As Donatello started to walk away, Hamato started to squeeze himself the masses.. there was another thing he had forgotten and didn't miss.. massive crowded places like this, and even though he was apologising and being as polite as he could, so many people around him were rude.

No, that was not exactly some-thing Hamato had missed, finally as he reached the opening to the school, Donatello was out of sight.. and were some-where inside.

Hamato exhaled deeply as he entered, tried asking a few time. "Excuse me, do you know where Donatello is?" he asked an middlage woman with her hair tightly in a bundle.

"He is very busy I should Imagine, I think I saw him go down there." She pointed. "But don't get your hopes up, every-one wants to talk to him."

"Thank you." Hamato politely thanked her before he hurried in the appointed direction. And suddenly, there he was, Hamato could see the young fifteen year old boy, walking in his direction, all though compleately surrounded by journalists.

Hamato stepped back and went into one with the shadows of a smaller hall-way. He stood ready there, for Donatello to pass by. And so he did.. surrounded by press people, constantly trying to ask him questions, Donatello tried to cover his face as he blushingly answered. "No I didn't exspect to be considered any-thing, I just really like robotics." "Actually that wasn't what happened it was more of an accident." "I'm just looking for April."

And then, right as they were in front of where Hamato hided, Hamato reached out and grabbed Donatello by the shoulder in a firm grip, to pull the young man into the shadow in less of a second, and the press simply moved on without him, without even noticing he was gone.

"What?" Donatello asked.

"Shh." Hamato hushed. "They are not gone yet."

Donatello blinked, but dutifully waited until the press folk had rounded a corner, and then sighed relieved as he stepped out. "Oh thank you, I thought I was never going to get rid of them, that was some cool movements, who-ever you are."

"You are welcome." Hamato replied as he stepped out of the shadow while letting go of the boy. Then hesitated as he stood in front of Donatello, whom seemed more concerned at the corner and the threat of returning journalists. "Donatello." He spoke quietly.

Donatello head shifted so he looked at Hamato. "I'm sorry, do we know each other?" Donatello blinked.

Hamato took in a breath before he answered, his eyes never leaving Donatello. "We ought to." He told. "Don't you have any idea who I am?" he asked.

"I don't think I've ever seen you before." Donatello answered very honestly.

"There's not some-one you are missing.. looking for?" Hamato asked. "Like.. family members? Brothers perhaps?" he asked.

"I'm a only child." Donatello responded honestly. "Raised by my own mother and father, not a big family, but it was okay."

"Mother and father?" Hamato asked with a slightly raised eye-brow. "But, up at the tribune, you only mentioned your father, that's a bit strange isn't it?" he asked.

"Well I just.." Donatello blinked. "Actually I don't know why I only mentioned my father." He suddenly realised.

"And I don't seem familiar to you at all?" Hamato asked. "I don't mean my appearance, forget about that, but my voice, the way I talk. Nothing?" he asked.

"Look, I can see you are trying to be all mystical and asian and all of that, but I am a little bit busy." Donatello as he stepped away. "Thanks for your help and all of that, but I really must be going!" he stated turning around.

"_Donatello!_" Hamato snapped in a familiar tone, making the young man stop. "Listen to me, some-one has messed around with all of reality, this isn't your real life, what-ever you remember, it isn't true. You are not a highly decorated high-school student."

"What?" Donatello asked turning around, looking at Hamato. "Okay, I think some-body might be a little on the crazy side here."

"Please, tell me about your mother then, what does she look like?" Splinter asked. "What's her name, how does she behave?"

"That's easy!" Donatello exclaimed. "Her name is…" he blinked. "Urh.. her name is." He struggled. "In either case her hair is.." and ones again he had to stop. "ARGH!" he grabbed his hair. "This is insane, I _have _a father!" he exclaimed. "I mean _mother_!" he hissed.

"No you do not have a mother." Hamato told forcefully stepping forward. "But a father, try and remember, you call yourself Splinterson, what a peculiar name, where does it come from?" he asked.

"Argh!" Donatello suddenly seemed to be in pain as he grabbed his hair. "Stop it!"

"Then tell me about your name, or your father, either one will do fine." Hamato asked in a demanding voice.

"I named myself after my father, and he is definitely a giant rat!" Donatello exclaimed then his eyes widened as he slammed his hands towards his mouth. "No he's not, my father is human." He told. "Of cause he is, and I didn't name myself, they named me.."

"There are no _they_." Splinter told seriously. "And you are not what you think you are, you are not even human, you are a turtle, a teenage mutant ninja turtle." He told.

"That's the most insane thing you have said yet! I am not a turtle!" Donatello exclaimed. "And my father is not a rat, he is… he is." He grunted.

"Then why are you acting so strongly to my words? Why don't you just laugh?" Splinter asked. "I tell you why, because you are all-ready doubting, deep down you _know!" _Suddenly Hamato leaped forward in attack, and Donatello threw himself back-ward in a back-flip, before he landed on the ground, automatically counter attacking Splinter whom grabbed his food and span him around, only for Donatello to respond correctly and fall down on the floor in perfect fighting stands.

"WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR?" Donatello yelled in a angry voice as he raised up with raised fist, ready for a defence.

"I think the better question is, how did you respond with perfectly mastered nin-jutsu skills?" Hamato asked with a lifted eye-brow and crossed arms, smirking slightly.

"I didn't do any such thing." Donatello snapped, and then halted. "Did I?" he asked. Hamato nodded, then looked at his own raised fist. "ARGH!" Donatello jumped up. "How did I do that?" he asked gaining a new panic attack waving around with his hands.

"Donnie, there you are!" a female voice sounded, both Hamato and Donatello turned to the sound of the voice, it was April.

"APRIL!" Donatello ran to the young girl and grabbed her shoulders. "Gosh I am so glad you're here, this man is crazy!" he exclaimed pointing at Hamato. "He keeps insisting that I am some sort of ninja turtle!" he exclaimed.

"A ninja turtle?" April asked with a lifted eye-brow. "You having any sort of ninja skill, that would be the day." She laughed amused.

"Hey! I did just do a perfect ninja reflex." Donatello snorted. "Oh my god." He bit his hand. "I am buying into it! Stop it Donnie!" he hit his own head. "STOP IT!" he exclaimed. "I'm not a turtle, I'm not a turtle!"

"Wait a second." April blinked. "The first time we meet.. you were a turtle." She blinked.

"No I wasn't, are you listening to yourself? Do you hear how ridicules it sounds?" Donatello asked.

"You and your brothers.. you saved me." April blinked.

"I don't _have _any brothers!" Donatello exclaimed. "And if I did, they would be loud obnoxious, none scientific bone-heads! Especially Raph with his dumb sais, and Mikey the doofus with his pranking around, I mean does he even know the meaning of the word quiet?" he asked. "Don't get me started on Leo he.. he.." Donatello blinked. "Is a turtle." He realised. "They are all turtles, I do have brothers! Whom are all turtles!" He exclaimed. "_I_ am a turtle." He looked down at himself, grabbing his purple shirt. "I am a turtle!" he exclaimed. "Why aren't I a turtle?" he asked bewildered looking up.

Hamato exhaled relieved. "That I do not know yet, but I am glad to have you back again my son." He told.

Donatello looked up, looked wide-eyed at Hamato. "Sensei?" he asked confused. "Is that you?"

Hamato smiled slightly. "Believe me, this has been as disoriented to me as you." He told, reaching forward a hand and did some-thing he had done so many times before, it was entirely familiar as he placed a hand on Donatellos shoulder. "Come on hurry, I hear the press approaching." He told, before doing some-thing more unfamiliar, he ruffled up Donatellos hair making the boy grit his face in distaste, until Hamato let go.

"We can get through the window." Donatello pointed over his shoulder. "Follow me sensei." He showed the way, to open a window and jump out himself, quickly followed by April, and then at last Hamato whom closed the window behind them, and soon after they all found themselves sitting behind a bush in hiding blinking at each other.

"Seriously." April blinked. "I've been through a lot of weird stuff since I met you guys, but this is really topping it all." She stated.

Hamato exhaled. "I wish I could tell you this was the oddest thing I have ever experienced, but that would be a lie." He told.

"I don't doubt it." April responded in a deep sigh.

Donatello how-ever blinked as he looked at each of them, then looked thought-full out in the air before he spoke. "So..Just to get things straight." He cleared his throat. "I am a mutant ninja turtle, you are my rat sensei and father." He pointed at Hamato then pointed at April. "You are actually a human but not my girl-friend, and some-how this is some kind of alternative reality where-thing has been messed up." He summarised. "Great." He murmured.

"Donatello what is the last thing you remember?" Hamato asked.

"Well, we were back in the lair, I was in my work-shop, and April was with me." Donatello frowned. "Then there was the blue light.. right in front of you and Leo Sensei." He remembered. "And it grew.. it blinded me, I heard a lot of voices talking about a scientific break through. Then I was here! At this university.. actually I haven't been any-where else.. Woke up on that tribune to give my speech." he blinked. "Weird." Donatello murmured scratching his head.

"Apparently this reality is very limited." Splinter frowned. "If you start questioning it the tiniest bit, it'll start cracking."

"How did you break out of the illusion?" Donatello asked. "No one came and pulled you out? Did they?" he asked suspiciously looking around.

"I.." Hamato exhaled. "Well I just used my extraordinary clearance of mind to find out that the situation was off." He explained swiftly in a skill-fully placed smirk.

"Wow." April gasped grapping her head. "My boy-friend isn't even my boy-friend and he is a turtle." She realised.

"Urh.. heh." Donatello blushed. "Sensei, what do we do now?" he asked Hamato very quickly changing the subject.

"For now." Hamato exhaled. "See if we can find your brothers, I was lucky enough just to see you in the news-paper."

"Sensei!" Donatello exclaimed. "I think I know where Raph is!"

"Oh?" Hamato asked.

"You're not going to like this, I think he is the leader of the local bully gang." Donatello told. "His gang sort of filled my school closest with wipped cream."

"oh." Hamato shook his head rubbing his eyes with his hand. "Raphael." he sighed deeply.

Carefully the trio followed Leonardo, away from the school-yard and longer out in the back, very quick they were in a part of town that seemed way more dirty than where they had come from, slowly all three crawled up to a roof-top, to were finally they had full view of a basket-ball court. "That's where they hang out." Donatello whispered pointing down at the court. "They should be here any minute." He whispered.

Hamato observed in silence, and indeed it wasn't long before he detected movement, a whole group of boys, six, seven, eight. Hamato counted, a group of eight, and in front of them, looking like the definite leader was a young fifteen year old boy.

The boy had a slight latino look to him with darker than usual skin, his dark hair was pulled back in a horsetail, then he was wearing a black leather jacket on top of a red t-shirt, a pair of worn out jeans and black boots. Even from afar you could clearly see the boys green eyes.

"That's him Sensei." Donatello told pointing at that exact boy.

"Hmm." Hamato frowned. "He needs a hair-cut." Was his comment.

"That was so awesome!" one of the other boys yelled. "Nerd town is paying!"

Raphael how-ever hissed. "Let me hear it again, you filled his closet with wiped cream again?" he asked in a frown crossing his arms.

"Come on Raph, he is a nerd!" one of the gang members stated.

"Protégé of Junip high, you heard that?" a second gang member laughed.

Donatello rolled his eyes. "Oh great, I thought they had all-ready done that ones today."

Hamato frown grew even deeper as he observed, no he did not like this situation at all.

"All-right listen punk!" Raphael suddenly snorted as he grabbed the first gang-member by the collar. "No more wiped cream his closet, got it?" he asked.

"What, why?" the gang-member asked.

"Just leave the nerd alone!" Raphael stated pushing the gang-member away. "If I see any of you touch him or prank him again, you'll answer to me!" he stated pointing at himself. "Got that?" he asked.

"Hm." Hamato stroked his chin. "He may turned out just fine after-all." He stated in a slight grin, then looked down at his hand… he missed his beard, it just wasn't the same stroking a chin.

"Who can we attack then?" a third member at last asked Raphael annoyed.

"Those whom actually provoked us." was Raphaels strict answer as he crossed his arms. "The nerds are of no threat to us, we should safe our strength for when it matters, and stay out of trouble unless trouble finds us."

"Well not entirely out of the fire, but that could have been a lot worse." Hamato commented as he tried not to roll his eyes.

"I don't see how any-thing changed, you never wanted to provoke Raph." Donatello responded. "Raph will be Raph I guess." He commented as he rested on his arms, and observed how the gang members annoyed left the basketball field, to leave Raphael alone as he leaned back on a bench, crossing his legs in a rebellious manner.

"I guess now is our chance." Donatello commented.

"Then go down talk to him." Hamato instructed.

"What me?" Donatello asked. "Why not you?" he asked. "If he gets angry he'll kick my butt!"

"He just defended your honour." Hamato blinked. "He must like you, you'll have a better chance of getting through to him."

"I'm not so sure." Donatello replied.

"Just go Donnie." April at last told him.

"Fine." Donatello at last snorted as he rolled his eyes, leaping down from their hiding spot on the roof top, to climb all the way down, then at last landed behind a container, right on the other side of the basketball court. "Okay Donnie, you can do this! He is your bro! he wont hurt you… more than usual." Donatello rolled his eyes. "It's a loving kind of hurt." He then finished. "Njah that's just stupid." Carefully Donatello looked over the container, Raph was still there, kicking back. Then Donatello sighed and at last stood up.

As Donatello started to near him, Raphaels eye-lids fluttered as he groaned, then suddenly in one jump sat up straight as he sternly looked ahead. "Who's there?" he asked in a stern tone of voice.

"Easy, easy, it's just me." Donatello told as he wide-eyed raised his hands, stepping a little closer to Raphael. "Look, harmless geek."

"I should think so." Raphael snorted putting as he stood up, crossing his arms. "How long were you been there exactly?" he asked.

"Erh.. hehe." Donatello swallowed scratching his neck.

"Oh no! Listen dweeb, I am a tough guy okay, that was a one time thing!" Raphael exclaimed.

"It's okay, I just wanted to say thanks." Donatello told honestly.

"Yeah well, I wasn't really going to let them bully you around on my watch, you can bet on it." Raphael told as he slightly rolled his eyes.

"Why?" Donatello asked.

"What?" Raphael blinked.

"Why wouldn't you let them bully me around on your watch?" Donatello asked.

"Well because." Raphael halted. "Erh.. no reason." He then at last snapped.

"No I think there is." Donatello told. "And I even know what it is."

"Then tell oh wise one." Raphael mocked Donatello.

"I can't, you wouldn't believe me and then beat me up in frustration." Donatello sighed. "I know, when I first figured out, I got frustrated to." He told.

"Figured out what?" Raphael asked in a lifted eye-brow.

"Urhm." Donatello fingered. "Well, lets just say that if you try to re-call what your mother or father looks like, you would arrive at a complete blank."

"I don't have a mother, just a father." Raphael snorted. "And he's.." he blinked. "Erh."

"See, blank, as if some-thing is blocking your mind." Donatello told. "And if I say you have brothers, you'll answer that you don't, but some-how that answer will feel wrong inside."

"I _don't _have brothers!" Raphael hissed, only to halt, and blinked. "Erh.. but assuming that I had, how many?" he asked with squinted eyes.

"Three." Donatello answered back in a slight smile. "Leonardo, whom you hate, Mikey whom you hate even more, and me!" he pointed at himself. "Whom you despise for being such a geek!"

"Damn straight I do!" Raphael barged, before suddenly he silenced, then blinked. "But.. aren't you.. supposed to be a turtle?" he asked pointing at Donnie.

"Aren't you?" Donatello asked in a equal smirk.

"No I." Raphael responded. "Yes." He told. "What the heck am I even doing here?" he asked turning around scratching his head. "What's going on!?"

"See, that's why you wouldn't let them push me around." Donatello smirked satisfied. "You hate me, but you are still my bro, so no one else than you should push me around. Hah!" he laughed triumphant.

"Good job Donatello." Hamato breathed relieved as he jumped down from the roof, landing on his feets, no more than two meters away from them, and then he straightened up, very neatly dusting himself off.

"Didn't need your help after-all sensei." Donatello smirked.

"Senesi?" Raphael asked and then looked at Hamato, his mouth dropping open. "No way!" he exclaimed.

"Why not Raphael?" Splinter asked. "You are human, Donatello is human, as far as I remember I were human first." Then he exhaled. "Mostly though, it seems like every-body who fell a sleep in the cave is part of it, April also remember our reality."

"Hey." April waved from on top of the roof.

"Okay.. mega weirdo." Raphael stated. "But.. I get it." He stated. "I suppose we should go get Mikey huh?" he asked.

"You know where he is?" Donatello asked.

"Sure, come on." Raphael gestured

Donatello and Hamato exchanged looks, then shrugged and walked with April closely following… the moment she had gotten down from the roof.

They all wandered straight to the park, the same park Hamato had been to earlier, and it was surprisingly quick to get there, Hamato noticed.

And Raphael walked them very purposely to a specific bench, where suddenly, a young kid was sitting. A fifteen year old boy with bright ginger hair, his face was filled with freckles, and he was wearing a very colourful Hawaiian shirt on top of a bright blue t-shirt and top that off he was wearing bright green shorts, the odd colour combination was almost painful, but Mikey didn't seemed to notice as he was gladly nodding away to a walkman in his ears, bobbing his head back and ford as he hummed with closed eyes, only as Raphael stepped in front of him did Mikey look up. Only to scream so the ear-plugs fell out all by themselves. "OH NO NOT YOU AGAIN!" he exclaimed jumping up hiding behind the bench. "I swear, I don't have any-more water-balloons! Please don't hurt me!"

"All-right here we go." Raphael sighed as he simply reached over the bench and picked Mikey up in one harm, to lift the boy over his shoulder and walk away with him, always very seamlessly and easily done. "What-ever you think is the true, it's not, you are actually a mutant turtle and my dumb little-brother, some-how we've been trapped in this weird worped reality, and now we just need to find a way out." Raphael shortly explained walking past Donatello, Hamato and April with Mikey over his shoulder.

"Oh why didn't you just say so?" Mikey asked as he hung from Raphaels shoulder facing backwards at the rest. "I mean before you chased me all the way through the park? Hey Donnie! Hey Sensei! Hey April!" he waved at the three whom blinked and slowly waved back. "I don't know how to break it to you, but that look, so not you." He told Donatello and Hamato.

"Erh, Mikey, unlike us this is how sensei is _supposed _to look." Donatello pointed out pointing at Hamato.

"I prefer the rat look, much cooler." Mikey snorted. "Raphael looks even worse than he used to, any-one noticed?"

"All-right, that's it, down you go." Raphael dropped Michelangelo on the ground so he landed there with a great thump. "Clearly you are fine now."

"Wauw, you sure took that easily." April commented in a blink as Mikey simply smiled from the ground, ruffling his own hair up.

"Mikey more than any of the others have a certain ability not to be guided by what people would call facts, but listen to the emotions and the now, he is not fooled that easily by facades." Hamato told in a slight smile.

"I'm a nin-jitsu protégé!" Mikey exclaimed.

"Some-times it wouldn't hurt to learn discipline as well, that would also be required to be a prober nin-jitsu user." Hamato rolled his eyes.

"Husmi, Smushi." Mikey responded as he leaped from the ground and brushed off his clothes from dirt. "All day I just knew some-thing was mundo weird, first when I smashed a water-balloon at Raph and had him chase me did things feel normal, I was meaning to repeat it later to figure it out, but looks like the answer came to me. So where's Leo?" he asked.

Every-body standing up ended up looking at each other with raised eye-brows. "We don't know." Donatello then at last admitted.

"You don't have any idea?" Raphael asked Mikey.

"Nope." Mikey responded.

Raphael exhaled. "Great!" he stated. "So we have to comb the city for the all and powerful leader, how do we even begin?" he asked.

"By thinking." Hamato stated. "It doesn't seem to me like you were placed due to pure randomness, you were all places where it would be likely for you to be found had you been ordinary human children."

"Where did you wake up?" Donatello asked Hamato.

"In my own private dojo, to teach a class." Hamato responded. "A natural place for me to be, had I not been mutated." He admitted. "So what would be the natural habitat for Leonardo?" he asked.

"Hm." Raphael rubbed his chin. "I think I might have a hint."

"Oh?" the rest looked at him.

"Oh you guys are going to love this." Raphael smirked.


	3. Chapter 3

And suddenly, all five people, were standing in front of a huge building, with a big banner hanging over the entrance, and all around them there were people dressed up in various different costumes, some cheap looking space-suits obviously home-mades, some of them were painted green all over, one woman passed by painted compleately yellow.

"The big Space heroes convention?" Mikey asked.

"Congratulations Donnie, you are so not the geek of the family any-longer, the name is all Leos." Raphael smirked.

"Gee, thanks Raph." Donnie rolled his eyes.

"God this is so cool." Mikey stated looking around. "I feel.. I feel at home." He breathed. "LETS GO IN!" he was just about to run forward.

"Ah!" Hamato grabbed Mikey by the collar holding him back. "Do not forget our goal." Hamato demanded. "First of all, lets not get separated! Whom-ever put us here also separated us, and I should think on purpose, we stay together!" he stated. "Second, we are here to find Leonardo, and that is it." He stated firmly. "Now we go in." he stated.

"Urh guys." Donatello stood by the door. "I think I figured out how to find him." He stated pointing at a poster.

"Huh!" all people looked over Donatellos shoulder and was suddenly faced with a staff poster, and Donatello pointed at the top picture, which shoved a young man whom looked like he was definitely of Japanese decent, with smooth features, slick black hair nicely combed back, eyes a little askew, all though the one thing that made him stand out was that his eyes were bright blue not black, rest of him, really looked like it came from the same place as Hamato.

"Leonardo Yoshi." Raphael read out loud. "Main arranger, head coordinator, supervisor!" he exclaimed. "In this world he is the _king _of geeks!"

"Well at least he got the last name right." Mikey smirked. "Splinterson." He looked at Donatello.

"Oh shush, do you even have a last name in this world?" Donnie asked Mikey.

"Same name as I do every-where else of cause." Mikey rolled his eyes. "Michelangelo the awesome." He smiled broadly. Making both Raphael and Donatello groan. "I'm called Michelangelo Yoshi you dopes. In either reality." He laughed. "Isn't that right Sensei?" he asked Hamato.

Hamato couldn't help it, he smiled at them. "Yes, absolutely correct, now come, I think I know how to find him." Purposely Hamato simply went to the entrance with all the turtles close behind him, and cleared his throat by the guy whom was taking peoples tickets.

"Ticket." The young boy asked looking up at Hamato.

"I'm afraid I have no ticket, but it's essential that I gain entrance." Hamato told the ticket boy.

"Sorry, no entrance without ticket." The boy in at the table stated. "And we are out for today, it's to crowded in there, it's always a good idea to order in advance, but you could try again tomorrow sir." He offered.

"I am looking for my son." Hamato told firmly. "It's an emergency."

"Give me his name, we can try and call him over the com system." The ticket man helpfully tried in a vague smile.

"Leonardo Yoshi." Hamato told in a frown.

The boy dropped every-thing he had in his hands and looked up. "Your Leos dad?" he asked wide-eyed.

Hamato nodded as he pulled out a wallet and took ford a drivers license, his name engraved, clearly spelling Hamato Yoshi. "See?" he asked. "And I know Leo has spend day and night arranging this, I know he is in there and would be hard to pull away."

The boy looked at the license then up at Hamato. "I'm so sorry, I've never seen you before." He told handing it back. "I hope it isn't any-thing to serious! Come in! come in! All though." He looked a the remaining four.. the four not Japanese looking teenagers.

"We are his cousins." Donatello at last told. "Right uncle Hamato?" he asked Hamato.

"On his mother side." Hamato explained.

"Well okay, if Leonardo can say good for it." The ticket boy answered. "Come, I'll help you find him."

Every-one was brought inside, and true enough, the place was simply stuffed with people, and the gang had to stay close as the ticket managed pocked several people on the shoulder asking for Leonardo, they were led deeper and deeper in, among several artist tables and so ford, people running back and ford, until suddenly, we his back to them the little flock saw a boy who resembled what they saw on the photo, same neat hair also wearing what looked like a comfortable dark blue hoodie, casual jeans and a casual sneakers.

"Leo." The ticket boy pocked the person on the shoulder, only to be waved away. "Leo, your dad is here." The boy finally stated.

Leonardo finally looked up, then turned around as he blinked surprised at Hamato. "Dad?" he asked. "What are you doing here, aren't you supposed to be at work?" he asked.

Hamato blinked.

"What the?" Raph frowned.

"Apparently he thinks I am his alternative father." Hamato whispered back, before turning to Leonardo. "I was." He told. "But an emergency happened, I needed to talk to you."

"Nothing to terrible is it?" Leonardo asked. "Did any-one get hurt?"

"No, no." Splinter assured.

"Then can't it wait?" Leonardo asked. "Dad, I am really busy right now, you know this has taken months, the cast members of space heroes could arrive any minute, we are out of cold soda, and one of the artist tables are in a constant fight. So please." He asked.

"LEO!" another one yelled. "Some-one is fighting over whom is the best captain again! And it looks wild!"

"I'm coming I'm coming!" Leo shouted. "Sorry dad." He send Hamato a slight apologising smile. "I talk to you later okay? In the mean-time, have a look around, have fun." he asked, and then turned around to run as fast as he could.

"This… could turn out to be harder than I first thought." Raphael exhaled.

"Yeah dad, what do we do?" Mikey asked, all people turned to him to blink at him with surprised eyes, for a moment there was just complete silence among them as they all looked at Mikey.

"What?" Mikey asked. "Leo got to try it, so I wanted to!" he exclaimed. "Urh.." he looked up at Hamato. "Hey Sensei." He waved nervously. "urh.. no disrespect or any-thing, I just.. I just."

"I guess you forgot the rules I first taught you." Hamato bowed down as he squinted his eyes at Michelangelo. "When inside of the dojo, I am Sensei or master Splinter, that's the rule, if you don't wish to obey me in the dojo, you must leave the room, that is also the only rule." He stated. "_Inside _of the dojo." He then repeated, and then suddenly grabbed Michelangelo and had him in a full arm lock, only to harshly ruffle up Mikeys ginger hair with his hand. "We are not in the dojo are we?" he asked amused as Mikey suddenly started laughing out loud, but the tough roughing up. "And you _are_ my son are you not?"

Mikey laughed and laughed. "Stop it!" he exclaimed. And finally he was let go off so he tumbled to the floor, grinning like an idiot. "Sort of cramping my style here." He told combing is hair with his hand, which only left it stand up ones again.

"That is what parents are supposed to do." Hamato told in a slight smirk looking down at the boy with crossed arms. "I just never had the chance to do it before."

Donatello smiled amused as he stood beside Raph. "I guess we never really had the chance to do things like other families." He shook his head.

"Pff, who cares?" Raphael asked. "Other dads can be a serious style crampers and embarrassingly un-cool, while ours is ultra cool!" he exclaimed. "I mean dude! He is a freaking mutant ninja master rat! How cool is that?" he asked. "Or.. used to be." He blinked.

"And now I'm just a ninja master." Hamato told in a smirk, and then launched for Raphael as well, whom at first managed to dodge, and he even managed to counter-attack, but soon he to was captured in a dead-lock, with no chance of escaping, and Hamato broke out laughing, so did Raphael.

"I was always a ninja master." Hamato reminded in a grin as he held Raphael locked.

"I know! And it's so sweet!" Raphael laughed back.

"Only you left." April pointed out to Donatello.

"Oh I'm staying out!" Donatello stated with raising hand. "This isn't really my thing."

Hamato only had to look down and exchange one look with Raphael whom looked back at him, they both smirked, and on command, Hamato let go of Raphael, only to deliver a kick in Donatellos direction, Donatello jumped aside, but only into the grap of Raphael whom had him tight. "NOOGIE!" he shouted.

"STOP IT!" Donatello exclaimed. "I am very priced science major in this world!"

"But on the other hand, Raphael will always be Rapahel." Splinter pointed out as he stood back with crossed arms, merely observing the two tumble around.

Mikey snickered. "I know this is all wrong and so on, but.. this is great." He told.

Hamato smiled as he ruffled Mikeys hair up. "Yes, yes it is." He admitted. "How-ever, it would be even better if we had Leonardo back with us."

"Then what are we waiting for lets go grab him!" Raphael exclaimed letting go of Donnie.

"First, let us consider carefully." Hamato frowned. "In here in a public place, with some-one always watching Leo it wont be as easy, what do we know of this world?" he asked.

"Time always stand still." Mikey pointed out.

Every-one turned against him.

"Didn't you notice?" Mikey asked. "How long have we been here? Three hours? Five? Six?" he asked. "But yet we don't move location, I woke up sitting on that bench, and I didn't feel like going to far away from it before you people came."

"I.. I think I stepped up to that tribune several times, to give my speech." Donatello blinked.

"I were hanging at that basket court, only to either go in the park where Mikey was, or the school yard, and then straight back to the basket court to start over again. Time is in a loop in here!" Raphael exclaimed. "It doesn't go any-where."

"So that must mean, that Leo." April turned around, and true enough Leo were coming their direction.

"Oh hey Dad." Leo waved at Hamato. "I'm still quite busy, could you wait for some moments?" he asked.

"Urh Leo." Raphael began but Hamato stopped him holding a hand in front of him.

"Wait." Hamato whispered.

"Oh Hallo, welcome to the con." Leonardo addressed Raphael. "I am yes, Leo the main arranger, you need some-thing?" he asked.

The four teenagers blinked.

"None of us seems familiar to you at all?" Donatello asked.

"I'm sorry, there's a lot of people going through these cons, it can become pretty difficult to keep up with so many, and I am just so excited, the cast of Space-heroes are going to show any minute." Leonardo beamed. "If only we could get more cold sodas we just ran out."

The four teenagers lifted their eye-brows, only Hamato stood perfectly calm.

"LEO!" the same teenagers as before came running. "Some-one is fighting over whom is the best captain again! And it looks wild!"

"Oh, Sorry dad!" Leonardo exclaimed. "Gotta go!" he turned around.

"No you wont." Hamato stated as he grapped Leonardos shoulder. "It seems that it's not only time that is in a loop, but all of the events." He stated.

"Dad, let go of me." Leonardo hissed. "I'm busy!"

"BOOH!" Michelangelo suddenly jumped in front of Leonardo whom fell down as he yelled in surprise.

"What did you do that for?" Leonardo wide-eyed asked Michelangelo.

"To make you stick around." Mikey grinned. "And it worked! Now listen to our father, and you might learn some-thing."

"_Our_ father?" Leonardo asked. "Erh.. this is my father." He told pointing up at Hamato. "I don't know who any of you are.. all though, I guess I saw you before at another con or some-thing." He groaned scratching his head. "You seem some-what familiar."

"I would never be caught dead in these stupid cons if it weren't for you." Raphael snorted bowing his knees. "Yo bone-head listen, if we let you run off now, you would only return in like ten to thirty minutes and tell us the same thing all over again, you are _not _a con arranger! You are _not _going to meet the cast-members of space heroes, and never before, have you called him dad!" he exclaimed gesturing at Hamato. "In fact, he isn't even supposed to look like this, none of us are.. okay except April."

"Why wouldn't I call my dad dad?" Leonardo asked in a frown. "I _know _he is my dad!" he exclaimed gesturing at Hamato. "All though.. that's.." he blinked. "The only thing I am sure off."

"Usually we call him Sensei, or master splinter." Raphael sighed. "on occasion father, it's just how it is, no one thought about it." He told.

"You keep saying _we." _Leonardo stated.

"Well, hallo! I am your _brother_!" Raphael exclaimed.

"We don't even look a like!" Leonardo exclaimed.

"Oh we used to." Mikey snorted. "Believe me, all though, we didn't look a thing like sensei." He grinned. "See, we are actually turtles! And he is a rat!" he exclaimed pointing at Hamato.

Hamato rolled his eyes. "Technically I was always a human." He told in a sigh. "That just happened to end up looking like a rat."

"Dad, you are not really going with this are you?" Leo asked, before suddenly he smiled. "Oh I get it! This is a prank!" he exclaimed. "Good one dad, thanks, but I really must be going."

"Dude." Michelangelo stated from behind Hamato. "We really _are_ turtles." He stated. "turtles and proud."

"You maybe." Leonardo stated looking at Mikey, as he suddenly silenced looking wide-eyed at Mikey. "… wow, neat costume." He exclaimed.

"What!" all people turned to Mikey, whom looked down at himself.. his own turtle self.

"SWEET!" Mikey exclaimed. "I am me again!" he yelled happily.

"What are you supposed to be dressed as?" Leonardo asked. "One of the aliens right? Damn, I thought I knew all of the alien races of Space Heroes.. or did you create a new kind?" he asked.

"Dude, this is what I really look like, as you know." Mikey stated a little annoyed.

"Oh good one, you really are funny." Leonardo chuckled.

"All-right, I've gotten quite enough of this knuckelhead." Raphael stated. "Lets just grab him!" He stated and leaped forward to.

"WHAA!" Leonardo yelled as he was surprised attacked by Raphael, only to genuinely counter attack and push Raphael away.

Only then for Mikey to attack, only to beaten down in the ground by Leonardos fist, and at last Raphael attacked again, sending multiple attacks in Leonardo's direction, all of them evaded or responded, all-though suddenly, Leonardo seemed to loose balance and Raphael saw his cue, to tackle Leonardo so they both landed on the floor, and Raphael now triumphantly held Leonardo in a arms lock. "Hah! I got him!" Raphael laughed as he sat on top of Leo.

"Raph you bone-head, _let go of me!" _Leonardo hissed.

"Oh look, he remembers my name now." Raphael smirked without even moving.

"I remember that you are a big rash unthinking shell-brain if that is what you are asking." Leonardo hissed.

Only for Hamato to calmly sit down on his knees in front of the two, looking down at Leonardo. "And the rest?" he asked Leonardo.

"Sensei.." Leonardo breathed, and then suddenly a big blush found his way to his cheeks. "God I feel so embarrassed." He told now truly, red in his entire head. "What's happening around here?" he asked.

"None of us know." Raphael snorted still sitting on Leo.

"Would you please get off me?" Leonardo at last asked in a roll in his eyes.

"I'm not sure." Raphael pondered.

"I know where we can get some pizza." Leonardo at last told in a deep sigh.

"For free?" Raphael asked interested.

"Yes Raphael, I'm the main coordinator, I can get you the pizza for free." Leonardo told in a deep sigh, and at last Raphael stood up releasing Leonardo, whom also slowly got up by the help of Hamato whom reached him a hand.

"Good to have you back." Hamato at last told Leo.

"Yeah.. apart from Raph being Raph, it's good to be back." Leonardo told in a slight smile.

"Oh and by the way." Raphael came back lounging an arm around Leonardo. "In this world I am a leader to, of six people, so that'll make me a greater leader than you." He smirked, only making Leonardo roll his eyes as they all walked away.


	4. Chapter 4

Not so long after that, was every-body placed at a cafeteria area, where true enough there was the promised free pizza, all though the beverage were warm as the place had run out of cold sodas.

Hamato didn't even drink the soda, he never learned to understand what the American culture loved so much about them, when water was so much better for the body, but the boys and April was happily chocking away.

"So we better sum up, what precisely is happening and what glues can we gather." Hamato summed up as he took a pizza slice for himself.

"Well so far." Mikey whom still looked like his turtle self started. "We know we are trapped in an alternative reality, but it's a tiny small reality, because nothing in here really goes any-where."

"The moment you started questioning it, the reality starts cracking." Donatello started summarising. "So it's very flawed, maybe even cracking around us all-ready."

"But that's just good right?" Leonardo asked. "If we can make this whole thing break together, we would be back right?" he asked.

"Sounds like it." April remarked.

"There's no way to be entirely sure." Donatello frowned as he rubbed his chin. "All sorts of rules could be applying here, are we experiencing this from inside our own bodies? Does that mean our bodies are laying unconscious in the lair while our head is experiencing this fake reality, or is this fake reality actually genuinely physical, in which case it could be very harmful to us to bring it down."

"Okay, I understood just about zero of that." Raphael snorted. "Why not just crack this fake reality wide open and get back?" he asked. "Mikey seems to be fine!" he stated gesturing at his turtle brother.

"Come to think of it, why has Mikey turned back any-way?" Donatello asked. "And none of us?" he asked. "I mean except April always looked like she should."

"Then again, I all-ready look what is considered.. normal." April remarked.

Hamato frowned. "Good question, Mikey what do you remember? What did you do?" he asked.

"Nothing." Michelangelo responded. "I just tried to convince Leo that we really are turtles, and that it's sweet being a turtle." He started leaning back so the chair almost tripped. "Wouldn't want to be any-thing else!"

"Really?" Leonardo asked with a slightly lifted eye-brow. "The thought never occurred to you?" he asked.

"Well, being able to just sit in the park was pretty sweet and all." Michelangelo nodded. "But trade it in for our home? No thank you." He shook his head as he crossed his arms.

"Seems to me Michelangelo willed himself back into his true form." Hamato commented. "How about the rest of you, how did you actually feel about your new-found place?" he asked.

The remaining three fifteen year olds looked at each other. "Urh.." Leonardo blushed.

"What about you Sensei?" Donatello asked.

Hamato silenced for a little bit, then actually ended up averting his eyes, he had not mentioned that Teng-Shen and Miwa actually was to be found some-where in this little univers, even if it was small.. and it was hard to bring up on such a crowded place.

"All-right, I'll try I guess." Raphael exhaled deeply. "Since none of you ninnies even dare to." He muttered glancing at each of them. "As you can see, I am a well-respected leader in this universe." He stated as he crossed his arms. "Quite frankly I love it." He stated. "I'm a good leader to." He told. "I get to help those whom need it, they run to me for protection, I get to beat up all the bullies I want and I am not stuck in the shadow of any-one." He told glaring slightly at Leo, whom blinked. "I like being out in the open, I like being able to confront any-one when I feel like it." He stated.

"I don't think this is helping." Donnie remarked.

Leonardo exhaled. "Raph look." He muttered looking down at the table. "Okay this is difficult to say erh.." he swallowed. "I-think-you-would-make-a-great-leader!" he suddenly spoke, very very quickly.

Raphael blinked as he looked up.

"Bro, you are my second in command, I totally need you." Leonardo sighed as he sat back. "Don't you think I'm in doubt some-times? Then it's good to know you always have a say and a idea, I just." He exhaled. "Sorry if you feel put down because of me."

Raphael blinked as he looked at Leonardo, for a moment looking slightly stunned, before he amused shook his head. "As if." He stated as he leaned back with crossed arms. "You could ever put me down, I out-shine you bro." he stated as he closed his eyes.

"Yeah sure." Leonardo smirked as he rolled his eyes. "By the way, you are a turtle again." He noted.

"huh." Raphael stated as he opened his eyes and looked at his now green hand, only to yell in surprise and fall all the way down again, to the amused snicker from the others. "Hey at least I actually managed to turn back!" Raphael hissed as he stood up slamming a hand on the table. "Unlike some other snicker doodles I could mention!" he hissed looking at Donatello and Leonardo in turn, until his eyes at last landed on Hamato. "Oh erh, Sensei.. I didn't mean." He bit his lip.

Hamato shrugged slightly. "nothing to forgive, it was well done Raphael." He finally told.

"So how about you Donnie?" Leonardo asked turning to him. "What are you in this world?" he asked.

Donatello shoot an annoyed look back at Leonardo. "You could begin yourself you know." He hissed. "I." he laid a hand on his chest. "Am recognised for the things I make in inventions and robotics." He told.

"You mean.. the exact things you all-ready do make home in the lair?" Leonardo asked with a slightly raised eye-brow.

"So?" Donatello asked. "It's nice getting recognised for it ones in a while." He stated as he crossed his arms. "It's actually harder to build a race-car then it looks like, to design it in detail, inventing T-phones and so on, building it from scratch."

"But.. you love designing, inventing and building stuff from scratch." Leonardo blinked. "It's hard even pulling you away from it some-times."

"Still nice to be told that I am doing a good job ones in a while." Donatello sighed leaning forward on the table, then looked up and then at his hands. "Shoot, didn't work!" he hissed.

"I think you are doing a GREAT job!" Michelangelo suddenly cheered.

"Of cause you are, we would be so lost without you!" Leonardo encouraged in a smile.

"Yeah I guess they are both sort of right." Raphael muttered looking away, all though suddenly they were all looking at Donatello in anticipation.. nothing happened.

"I am happy making inventions in our lair I really am!" Donatello exclaimed. "And we even get to really test them and use them! That doesn't happen in this life!" he stated. "I _love it_." He stated forcefully as he smacked his hands down in the table, and then looked at them, nothing.. still five fingers not three.

"Urh.." Leonardo hesitated. "Donnie, you think maybe it's.. some-thing else bothering you?" he asked.

"What should that be?" Donatello asked annoyed as he leaned back with crossed arms and a pouty face.

"It's just.." without even meaning to, Leonardo glanced at April, whom blinked, before he looked back at Donatello. "You are entirely sure."

"Of cause I am." Donatello hissed.

"Erhm." April suddenly cleared her throat. "Excuse me, I think I need to find a silent corner." She stated.

Raphael blinked. "What, why?" he asked.

"And I need Donnie." She stated placing a hand on Donatello shoulder. "Right?" she asked him.

"What?" Donatello looked up at her, and suddenly, a red flush seemed to come over his cheeks. "Oh.. I'm.." he swallowed.

"Safe it a few seconds, come on." April pulled Donatello with her, through the crowds and masses, the other people by the table looking after them, until she finally found a plant some-what shielding them, they could stand behind.

At ones Donatello felt so embarrassed as they stood together behind the plant, quite a lone.. they were boy-friend and girl-frien in this universe! It was so messed up. "April I.." Donatello swallowed as he scratched his hair and blushed. "I am so embarrassed, this reality.. it was designed to make our ideal world come true, and I.. we.." he tried. "I didn't mean."

"Donnie, I think you are forgetting some-thing." April silenced him putting a light hand over his mouth. "This world yes, designed itself to be our idea of an ideal situation, for _all _of us.. also me." She told him.

"So what you are saying is that?" Donatello asked and lightened up, but then his face faltered. "If I were human." He sighed.

April shook her head. "You being human weren't part of my dream." She told as she took his hand. "That was you, I just really like you as you are." She told.

"You.. do?" Donatello asked wide-eyed. "But.."

"You are cool Donnie!" April told. "And so sweet, and cute in that geeky dorky way, you are a cool ninja and a genius and really sweet to, what isn't there to like?" she asked.

"The fact that I am a huge turtle." Donatello muttered.

"So?" April asked. "If you can keep a secret." She whispered as she tiptoed closer. "I like turtle Donnie better than the university guy, I like the cool ninja." She whispered as she tiptoed forward, closed her eyes and kissed him on the cheek, then she stood back and opened her eyes.

Donatello looked utterly flabbergasted, with white open eyes, and a green three fingered hand lightly touching the cheek that had been kissed, then he looked at his hand and realised, it was his old turtles hand. "This was your plan all the time wasn't it?" he asked.

"Yeah." April admitted, but then leaned over as she took his hand. "That doesn't mean that I was lying though." She told looking up at him and smiled sweetly, before kissing him again, on the other cheek.

Donatello seemed to melt by it. "okay." He exhaled a a grin spread over his face. "I can life with that!" he exclaimed.

"Aww that's so cute." Michelangelo suddenly yelled and both Donatello and arpil turned around to see how Raph and Mikey were standing… right at the corner looking them.

"Poor April." Raphael snorted. "Normally the frog turn into a prince when you kiss him, not the other way around."

"You of all people are calling me a frog?" Donatello asked. "really?"

"Well, you are back, that's what matters aint it?" Raphael asked. "Now we just lack Sensei and Leo." He sighed turning around, to where true enough, Hamato and Leonardo stood talking together, both still looking quite human.

* * *

"Nothing?" Donatello asked as they all stood up, finding themselves a hall-way, as they now all started to look strange they didn't want to attract to much attention, all-ready people had come pass to congratulate them on 'awesome alien turtles costumes' and more than ones had some-one tried to pull Leo away again, with the reasoning that they needed their coordinator.

"At least we have you three back." Leonardo noted looking at his three brothers.

"Just missing the high and mighty leader." Raphael stated as he rolled his eyes.

"Please share Leonardo." Hamato asked. "Why are you in this situation in this world? What is your situation exactly?" he asked.

"Well.." Leonardo murmured. "I am leader of this entire con, and people is really counting on me to be so, they all look to me as a leader." He admitted. "Not only that but my father." He glanced at Hamato. "Is a true nin-jitsu master and owns a dojo, and he has trained me so I am also a highly respected and award winning nin-jitsu student look." He took out a wallet and showed them all, a picture of him and Hamato standing with a big trophy between them saying winner, both looking very proud.

"Hm, so our two ideal worlds happened to fit well together." Hamato frowned, the others looked at him. "I woke up in my own private dojo while teaching a nin-jutsu to a whole class of students." He explained. "our two wish's fit together, like April and Donatello's, so this reality arranged for it to make it fit, again it's very limited it seems, it doesn't want to waste space."

"Makes sense." Donatello shrugged, as he still held Aprils hand, they others had notice, the two hadn't let go for this time being.

"Why were you put in this situation?" Hamato asked Leonardo. "With your own words please."

"Well I… I wanted to be a leader." Leonardo told. "In a way so it really did some-thing good to a lot of people and I.. I erh heh." He blushed deeply. "I wanted to be a great nin-jutsu master like you, those are my.. heh.. two dreams." He admitted.

"That is so dumb." Raphael snorted.

"What?" Leonardo asked. "Why is that dumb?" he asked angrily. "My dreams and wants are dumb to you?" he asked in a very angry voice.

"Only because you all-ready got those two things." Raphael rolled his eyes. "You are our leader aren't you?" he asked. "As painful as it is to say, we need you out there to lead us or we would have failed so bad, and the Krang would have won don't you know that? And you _are_ very skilled in nin-jutsu, not as skilled as Sensei, but he is like thirty years in front of us."

"Raphael is right." Hamato told. "You are just as skilled as I were your age, if not even more, that you'll become a ninja master, and one day have pupils on your own, that was some-thing I never doubted at all."

Leonardo looked up at Hamato, a great smile on his face, he shined with pride. "Thanks Sensei." He whispered and just like that, no one could tell when it happened, it wasn't a human standing in front of Hamato but a turtle, a turtle whom stepped forward to give Hamato a hug.

Hamato accepted it as he smiled warmly. "Now I recognise all of my sons." He told. "Welcome back."

"But we don't recognise you." Raphael frowned.

Hamate looked up, as suddenly, the whole things started to shake.

"What.. what's happening?" April asked looking around.

"This reality, it's collapsing!" Donatello exclaimed as they stood close.

"So if we are lucky, if Sensei just break out, we all will!" Leonardo exclaimed as the shakings started to stop.

"Huh." Raphael frowned. "Kind of funny isn't it, shouldn't Sensei have turned back first? I mean with his big clearance. Why didn't you just turn back first?" he asked Hamato.

Donnie blinked. "What do you mean Raph?" he asked as Leonardo stood back and also looked questionable at him.

"It's just kind of weird Sensei hasn't turned back yet." Raphael pointed out. "I mean, shouldn't he be the first to.. you know break the illusion. He is Sensei is what I mean!"

"Well, this is just a theory of cause." Donnatello murmered rubbing his chin. "This reality is steered by our fantasies, our thoughts and how we look at ourselves as persons." He told. "Deep down, we four all knew from the beginning that we are turtles, we have always been turtles." He told. "While sensei, he wasn't always a rat, in fact, he has been a human for a way longer time then he has been a rat, so deep down, he still sees himself fundamentally as a human, and that's why he wont change back in this world."

"Sounds plausible." Leonardo nodded.

Hamato shook his head. "Possible." He told. "But I think I know." He then admitted holding his hands behind his back before he sighed deeply. "My sons, I'm sorry in this situation I have been weak, it is difficult for me to let go." He admitted.

"Sensei what do you mean?" Raphael asked slightly confused.

"Oh.." Leonardo suddenly realised, and then bowed down to pick up what had been his wallet before, with the pictures in it, he sorted through them, cast the one aside of his human self with Hamato and then found another one. "Your wife and daughter are in here." He finally told and turned a picture around for all to see. Of Hamato, the human Leonardo, a beautiful Chinese wife they all knew from an old photo, and a teenage girl, looking slightly older than Leonardo.

Every-body blinked as they saw it, then looked at Hamato.

"We all have things we wished we could have, but life doesn't work that way." Hamato sighed.

"What made you break loose of the illusion the first time around?" Leonardo asked Hamato.

"First I noticed some-thing was off in my class-room, the students were to perfect, no of them having their own small flaws or styles." Hamato told. "Then as Teng-Shen entered, it felt off, it felt slightly weird, but what really made me break the illusion was when she insisted that I only had one son, and I was convinced I had four, and that none of them was less important to me than the other three." He told. "My sons." He held out two hands, and slightly took Michelangelos hands in his left and Raphaels in the right. "I miss the woman I loved and I miss my first child." He admitted. "Some-times I still miss them so much that it hurts, how-ever." He looked at each of them in turn. "I wouldn't have missed knowing you for any-thing in the world." He told. "Not any-thing." He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath. "Good bye Teng-Shen, Good-bye Miwa." He offered as suddenly, the whole place around them stated shaking as if it was a huge earth quack happening.

"SENSEI!" Michelangelo yelled. "What's happening?" he asked as he pressed himself against Hamato.

And Hamato looked down and realised, he wasn't Hamato any-more, but Splinter, holding the turtle tight as he pulled the others in, he tales waving from side to side, as he looked around and saw walls cracking all-around them. "I believe." Splinter bit together as he tried to protect the children. "That we all succeeded, and that we should brace ourselves for collapse!" he exclaimed.

"Well at least we'll go together!" Leonardo exclaimed.

"Oh yeah, joy, I could have just stayed being a leader of my own gang, but nooo." Raphael rolled his eyes.

"And be stuck doing the same thing over and over for eternity?" Leonardo asked in a slight role of his eyes. "That's not like you!"

"You're right!" Raphael grinned. "I better like beating the smug grin of your face in new ways every-day!" he grinned as the light around them grew, sharper and sharper, a noise as well grew, covering their ears, as suddenly there was nothing but noise and light.

"ARRGH!" they all screamed from the uncomfortable light and noise, until suddenly… all at ones. It all stopped.


	5. Chapter 5

Slowly Splinter opened his eyes as he dared to look up, he was still holding Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael close to him, and they all leaned towards him with squinted eyes.. even Raphael in a rare display of dependence. Splinter looked to his side and saw how April and Donatello was holding hands.. Slowly, the turtles started to stir and opened their eyes, to let go of each other and look around.

It looked like they were back in the lair, every-thing seemed to be in place, the television set, the ping-pong machine, the door that lead to their own little dojo. Splinter frowned slightly.

"Sensei it worked." Leonardo beamed as he stood up straight, in true heroes position. "We all broke the illusion."

Splinter how-ever just frowned even more. "Cautious my son." he told. "Do not just assume." he barely whispered as he looked around.

"It all seems fine enough." Raphael commented as he looked around. "Those of use supposed to be turtles are, those of us supposed to be a rat, is also that." he looked around. "Every-thing seems normal."

"Exactly." Splinter replied. "Normal.. perfect.. exactly as we wanted it." he stated suddenly making all of the turtles silence, as slowly splinter walked towards the rice paper door, that would lead to their dojo, and opened it wide, only to suddenly be met with extreme sunlight and a blue sky. Right in front of him, where the dojo was supposed to be, there was an entire park, filled with happy people that didn't seem to be the least bit surprised to have full view of a giant rant, one woman even smiled happily at him as she waved. Splinter how-ever turned around seizing all of his students.

"Okay!" Mikey then exclaimed helding up both arms. "I _really _liked that park!" he stated. "And the ability to walk in sunlight and talk to people." He hopelessly looked at them. "I really liked talking to people." He admitted.

"And that's not a quality to be ashamed of, one I don't have myself but wish I did." Splinter told as he turned back to the scenery looking at it. "Though it poses quite a problem in the present." he frowned slightly annoyed.

Leonardo exhaled. "So what do we… oh my god." He suddenly halted as he looked through the window. "Is that the cast of space-heroes?" he asked. "Can I go talk to them?" he asked immedatiely.

Only for Raphael to slap him straight over the head. "They aren't _real_." He reminded Leonardo. "Wake up you bone-head!" he demanded, only for suddenly, a voice to sound right behind him.

"Raph!"

Surprised Raphael swirled around, to be met with the sight of four youngster, all looking at him. "Tell us what to do." A fourteen year old boy asked. "We need you to help us, to lead us."

"Oh no." Raphael stepped back. "No no no! this isn't my fantasy, this isn't me!"he pleaded thought it was quite obvious that it was.

"Thank you so much!" a little blond girl suddenly grabbed Raphaels hand. "For saving my kitty, you are my _hero!_"

Raphael send a death-glare at Leonardo, whom was just about to snicker.

"Not one word." Raphael sneered. "Or you'll regret it!"

Only for another girl, whom seemed like the first ones twin to grab Leonardos hand and exclaim. "No _you're_ the hero! You are my hero!" she stated.

Only for the first girl to grab Raphael. "No! This one is much better! He is my hero!"

"Leonardo is clearly the hero!"

"RAPHAEL!"

"Argh!" Simultaneously the two turtles tried to shake the girls of themselves.

"NOW I DON'T WANT TO BE _ANY-BODIES_ HERO!" Raphael exclaimed as he stood back to back with Leo.

"Then why are they still here?" Leonardo hissed. "Be my hero for the day, and get rid of them!" he asked.

"Why don't you do that?" Raphael responded.

Donatello in turn held April closer. "Yeah this doesn't seem to be working out." He commented.

"Donnie don't leave me." April almost cried.

"April now you don't even sound like yourself!" Donnie made aware.

"I.." April blinked. "No I don't!" she realised. "I don't know why I said that!" she exclaimed.

"My sons! Please stay together." Splinter demanded as he backed away from the wide open entrance and stood back to back with Leonardo, Raphael by his right side, Michelangolo to his left.

"Donnie, April. Come on!" Leonardo called, and the two joined the group, so all stood in a pile, facing each their direction.

And then of cause.. it all had to smoulder again as a soft womans voice spoke. "Hamato.."

All turtles, rats and teenage girl gasped as they turned to Splinter and saw what was, across the lair, but in front of Splinters vision.

It was that beautiful Japanese woman from Splinters photo, but now the turtles could see, the photo actually did her injustice.. in the photo they had positioned and looked stoic and disciplined, as was probably expected of an old family like theirs.

But this woman, she looked warm and kind, her face radiant.. if she just wouldn't look so sad, and right next to the woman, was a teenage girl, looking so much like her, only a little more tomboyish, with shorter hair, though the same elegance. "Father." The teenage girl spoke. "Why do you insist leaving us? We are right here."

"Hamato, my love." The woman spoke in such a soft voice. "Come here, over to us, it'll be perfect."

"Stand back." Splinter hissed moving the entire group away from the image. "They aren't real.. they aren't real, it's just a mean to trap us."

"We are as real as you want us to." Teng-shen invited. "Both the two of us, your sons, all of this, we can all co-exist, if you just let us." She invited.

Splinter squinted his eyes tight together as he chanted, trying to hold the turtles close, though as he opened his eyes again, he realised he had humans hands again, and a human attire, he was failing!

"Sensei!" Leonardo exclaimed.

"I.." Hamato exhaled as he bowed over, trying to catch his breath. "No no! we can't be trapped! STOP IT!" he yelled up in the air. "None of this is real! None of it were! It was a nice dream but it.." Hamato blinked. "Wait." He turned around facing all of the teenagers. "We assumed wrong." He suddenly realised.

"What?" All of the turtles asked as they looked up at Splinter.

"We assumed, that what we saw was a re-collection of all of our dreams, mashed together in one shared sequence." Splinter tried to explain. "But what if it was just one persons dream.. pulled out and made reality."

"Just one person?" Leonardo asked. "But who, I sure didn't dream for Raphael to be a leader on his own." He stated.

"Gee thanks." Raphael snorted. "Though, I didn't dream for Donnie to be any kind of priced science major."

"Oh shocks, thanks so much guys." Donnie rolled his eyes. "But no.. none of your situations were my fantasy."

"Me neither." Michelangelo stated as April nodded, before at ones, every-bodies eyes widened and turned to Splinter, still in human form with closed eyes.

Splinter exhaled. "All I wanted, was to give each of you the best life possible, I always wanted you to have all those things, but it wasn't within my power." He tried to explain. "I was sad none of you could experience sunlight." he confessed. "Or even a walk in the park. Donatello, you deserve acknowledgement, and you deserve to be happy." He gestured at April. "So do you Leonardo." He told the blue bandannaed turtle. "And Raphael.. you to could be a great leader, I wish it was in my power to give both of you a chance, but a decision had to be made."

"Then why Leo?" Raphael asked. "Really Sensei, it's been bothering me for a while."

"I was guessing." Splinter admitted. "But I assumed, Leo wanted it, just a little bit more, and that is the only reason. It had nothing to do with skills or whom would be better at it in longer term, because that I do not know."

For a moment Raphael looked at Splinter, then shook his head. "All-right, I guess some decision had to be made." He acknowledged.

"Some day you'll be a leader to." Splinter assured. "I'm quite certain. And a great one to."

"Yeah well." Raphael almost blushed. "No rush, I think I manage for now." He managed to get over his lips.

"NOOOO!" a horrible scream suddenly sounded, and Hamato turned back towards Teng-shen, almost shedding his human form, going back to be a rat as he did and the woman screamed.

"All you had to do was to embrace it!" The woman hissed, now suddenly not looking like Teng-shen at all. "Life out your happiest fantasy! Why was that so hard for you?" she asked as tears started to stream down her cheeks.

"I prefer to life in reality, not fantasy, no matter how pleasant it might seem." Splinter told sternly standing with his turtles.

"That makes no sense!" Miwa now spoke. "Just be happy! Your happiness was so warm, I liked those moments, I can give you more!" she exclaimed. "Like when you tumbled around at that con! Felt good didn't it?" she asked.

"And then you ate up the good emotion no doubt." Splinter furrowed. "Is that what you do? Make people happy and feed on their happiness?" he asked.

"And why is that so bad?" Suddenly it was a little blond girl who talked, one of the two whom had pulled in Raphael and Leonardo. "I like making people happy! I like seeing them being so happy! It warms me!" she exclaimed. "And you down here seemed so trapped, all like a part of you were unfulfilled, especially you!" she pointed up at Splinter. "You always have a dark shadow in you, but I can make it vanish, is that not nice?"

"But then what happens." Splinter looked down at the girl. "To the people whom gets lost in your fantasy? They fade away don't they?" he asked. "They die."

"NO!" The girl screamed. "That's not what I do! I do good!" she yelled.

"Then let us go." Splinter demanded.

"No I wont!" The girl exclaimed. "You were so happy it was so nice! I want to try again, give me another chance!" She begged.

"I warn you." Splinter stated in a very warning tone, the kind of tone that made even his turtles gulp in fear, it never left room for any arguments. "Let us go now, or I wont answer for the consequence, I carry no wish to harm you, but you are threatening the life of my family."

"_No!_" The girl stated again.

"Fine then, we are leaving." Splinter stated grabbing two of his shoulders by the shoulders, pushing them forward.

"Sensei, where would we even go?" Michelangelo asked.

"Out." Was Splinters only response as he pushed all of them towards the exit.

"NOOOO!" the girl screamed. "DON'T LEAVE! I DEMAND YOU TO STAY!" she yelled.

"Don't look at her." Splinter whispered to the teenagers as he pushed all of them forward. "Just keep on moving."

"I SAID _STAY!" _ The girl yelled so suddenly, the whole lair seemed to shake as if her voice was sonic, for that matter, it became deeper and deeper, as in a big growl.

Splinter widened his eyes, and in a list second managed to throw them all aside, just as a giant viper like creature with sharp fans would have snatched them all. "DEFEND YOURSELVES!" Splinter commanded in a barg, and in a instant, all the turtles pulled out their weapons to stand ready, April stood in a fighting stand and as well did Splinter.

"I warn you again." Splinter addressed the giant snake. "We don't wish you harm, let us go and we'll let you go, but attack us and we'll defend ourselves!"

The viper didn't even answer, but merely attacked at ones, going straight for the turtles, only for all of them to jump each their side, Raphael was the first one to back attack with his sais, forcing them downwards towards, the wiper, only to be closely followed by Leo, whom stroke with his swords, and after that Michelangelo and Donatello came on the same time, from each their side with weapons in their hands.

"What can I do?" April asked.

"Stay out of range so you wont get in the way." Splinter instructed.

"WHAT!" April exclaimed.

"April it's fact, you are not strong enough yet, and if you get in trouble I'll be to our disadvantage." Splinter snapped, in a voice that left no rooms for arguments, before he himself grabbed his cane and jumped right in, to a hand to hand combat with the snake, skille-fully dodging and avoiding each and every-ones of the snakes attack, it didn't even touch, so impressive looked that little dance that the turtles almost stopped up.

"Whoa." Leonardo blinked. "It's like he all-ready knows where the attacks are coming from."

"Sensing Leonardo." Splinter informed as he easily avoided another attack, without having to break as much as a sweat. "Be aware of the now, and." Easily he stepped aside as the massive tale smacked right down, landing with a great thump where he stood a moment earlier. "The room." He told as he stepped back. "How-ever, fighting a viper in hand to hand combat is rather challenging." He admitted jumping first to left, then to the right, and sprung up to plant a fist in between the snakes eyes, but it didn't seem to do much.

And ones again, all turtles attacked, one by one, with the weapons and even with fist, as promised April stood back, and observed, all though a little wide eyed.

"It's no use." Leonardo hissed as he had scratched the snake ones again, but it didn't even seemed to notice. "If only.." then suddenly Leonardo's eyes widened. "I got it." He realised. "SENSEI!" he called up.

Making Splinter halfly turn his head, that being indication enough that he was listening.

"CATCH!" Leonardo exclaimed as he threw one of his swords in Splinters direction, and Splinter easily, stepped forward to grab the weapon in mid-air, then had to role over to avoid one of the vipers attacks, only then to take one step, jump up and plant the sword right between the vipers eyes.

"ARGH!" the wipers hissed as it felt back-wards, twisting and turning. "Why?" a little girls voice came from the viper. "Isn't happiness worth every-thing?" she asked. "Isn't that the reason to life?"

"When happiness hurts others, it's not worth it." Splinter told firmly. "Happiness is fulfilment of the life given to you, it doesn't need to be big, often happiness can be quite simple. Belonging, a simple home, family. That's all I personally ever needed."

The now human like viper looked up at Splinter, with tearful eyes, now having taken one last form.. it resembled that teenage Japanese girl, whom resembled Teng-shen so much. "Don't do it." She asked with tears streaming down her eyes.

In which response Splinter merely reached forward and grabbed the handle of the sword. "I told you that I couldn't answer for the consequences." He told holding the sword firmly.

"You wont be able to go back, or see either of them again." The girl whispered, in Miwas scared voice.

To which in response, Splinter twisted the sword one turn, making the girl cry out in pain, then lifted the sword, and drew it down for a be-headment, only.. the moment he did, every-thing in less than a second, turned to complete black.

* * *

"Hrmpf." Splinter frowned as he slowly gained conscious, returning to the light, he became aware, that he was laying on a very hard and cold surface, forcing his eyes open were his suspicious confirmed, he was laying on the floor, and right in front of him, having actually not let go of him was Michelangelo and Leonardo.. and also they started to slowly groan.

Splinter crawled up on his knees, and slowly started to shake the turtles. "Are you all-right?" he asked them.

"Hmm.. Sensei.." Leonardo whispered as his eyes suddenly opened, and his blue bright eyes looked right up at him. "Father…" he barely whispered.

"Shh." Splinter hushed. "I believe, we all had a very bad dream." He commented as Michelangelo groaning sat up also looking around.

"What happened?" Mikey asked. "Did we win? Is this another dream? Or is it a dream in a dream?" he asked looking around. "It's a dream in a dream isn't it?" he asked warily looking around. "There's some troll behind the corner waiting to jump us."

"I don't think so." Donatello replied as he groaningly helped April up from his work-shop corner. "We were never this.. _sore_, in the dreams." He pointed out.

"Man, it feels like I slept in a wrong position or some-thing!" Raphael gritted as he to got up on his legs.

"Hmm.." Splinter looked around. "The place smells like sewer again, kitchen clearly needs cleaning, which was Mikeys chore today."

"Erhh.." Mikey swallowed.

"If you want my dispute judgment." Splinter nodded as he stroke his beard. "I'll say we did it. You did so well my sons." He smiled a little vaguely.

"Sensei.. you might want to." Leonardo suddenly spoke from the other side of the couch.

"Leonardo what is it?" Splinter asked with a lifted eye-brow as he turned towards the turtle.

"Sensei look." Leonardo pointed at the floor, where a little glimmer of blue light seemed to be dying out.

Slowly Splinter approached Leonardo, and looked down at the little light, before he silently sat down on his knees, and used his two hands to pick it up.

"Sensei you think that's a good.." Leonardo halted.

"I think she's quite harmless now." Splinter whispered holding the light a little higher up so it were in eye height.

"She?" Raphael asked as he also slowly approaches.

"Quite clearly, she was a girl.. perhaps even a child." Splinter remarked. "Whom had the gift to make people life out their dreams and wanted to share that gift, not even realising the consequences."

"Maybe she was lonely." Michelangelo remarked leaning over Splinters shoulder. "So she wanted to give and observe, just to feel a little happiness herself."

"Quite possible." Splinter replied.

"That's so sad." April told as she stood with Donatello holdings his hand.

"But, what was she? Where did she come from?" Raphael asked.

"That I have no idea of." Splinter told. "Little girl." He then whispered at the flickering light in his hands. "I am sorry for the harm I brought you, I hope you realise I only did so because you left me no choice." He told in a very gentle, and very warm open voice. "But I bear no ill feelings, it's all-right little friend, and now I only hope you can forgive me." He asked, and then the light flickered and extra turn, as if it tried to signal some-thing. "Feel welcome to stay and observe, if you promise not to harm." He told. "I invite you." He stated. "You seemed like a kind spirit."

And suddenly the light flickered up, became a little warmer, a little.. happier. Before suddenly, it died out, and Splinter was holding nothing but grey dust in his hands.

For some moments there were silence, as all the teenagers and the rat was left to look at the gray glittering dust.

"She.." April swallowed.

Splinter nodded. "Michelangelo, in the dojo in the west-side closest, there's a couple of small box's, would you be kind enough to fetch one for me, pick what-ever you feel is the most honourable, and hurry." he requested not looking away from the dust in his hands, that seemed to still glitter, ever so slightly.

"OF CAUSE!" Michelangelo exclaimed as he stood up straight, and almost tripped over his own feet's to get to their little private dojo, only for in a few minutes to return with a little pink box with golden Japanese looking symbols on it. "I thought this was good, since it's pink and all, little girls likes pink don't they?" he asked.

"I think it's very pretty, it's a nice gift." April assured as Michelangelo removed the lid, and carefully, not to spill a single little strain, Splinter gently transferred the dust to the little box so Michelangelo could close it, and hand the box to Splinter.

"What now?" Leonardo asked.

"Now we honour her." Splinter told as he stood up. "Along with other priced people whom are gone." He told and walked to that shrine which always had been present in full view, there was not much on it, just that photo of Hamato and his old family, and Splinter without hesitation placed the pink box next to the photo, and then reached for a match to light the incest he usually burned for his lost family, and a little candle light.

"Can I also light a candle for her?" Michelangelo asked.

"That you wont ever have to ask permission for." Splinter assured as he turned to Michelangelo. "When-ever you feel like it, please." He asked reaching the match box to Michelangelo, whom also stepped up to the shrine, and lighted another candle.

Slowly Leonardo walked up and did the same, to then be followed by Donatello, April and even Raphael as the last one.

And at last as they all stood back and observed the six flickering lights, Leonardo broke the silence. "Sensei.. I was sort of wondering."

Splinter turned his head as he looked at Leonardo.

"How did you and Teng-shen meet?" Leonardo asked.

Splinter blinked, one time, and the rest of the turtles blinked rapidly.

"I mean, you told us about how she and Miwa died. How you had to flee Japan and come here, explained why that happened. And that's good, then we all know where we come from." Leonardo tried to explain. "But we actually never heard of happier things, how was she?" he asked.

"Did you give her flowers?" Michelangelo asked in a slight smirk.

"I'd rather want to know how Sensei was trained. From childs-birth right?" Raphael asked Splinter.

"Well." Splinter frowned. "One thing at the time I think, when I first met Teng-shen, I was very young, only a little bit older than you are now, but I remember it well." He told as all six of them, slowly took place in the couches. "It was spring in Japan, and in Japan all the cherry trees are at bloom, which means they are completely pink in colour, I was out walking with my child-hood friend, whom you know of, Oroku Saki." He informed, and suddenly every-body listened intensely. "We were both what one would might call.. cocky young men, we were intending to win the world-class tournament of nin-jitsu together that year, and we did, but that day before that, we were headed our way to our masters dojo for our daily training, and suddenly, out of no-where, there she was." Splinter smiled looking almost lost in his memory. "Carrying a basket filled with laundry she had finished and were supposed to deliver, Teng-shen was not of any high stature, she was just a laundry girl." Splinter informed as every-body sat around, and actually listened very intensely to Splinters story. "And of cause as it happened, I and Saki was so caught up in our own boosting that I walked right into her and we both fell down, as a result all of her laundry was ruined." He chuckled to himself.

"That doesn't sound like you at all." Raphael commented in a slight frown.

"I told you, I was younger then, much younger." Splinter informed. "As it happened, Saki went on to train all that he could at the dojo, while I stayed with Teng-shen and helped her redo the laundry as compensation, and that's how it began, only later did it even occour to me that Saki had developed feelings for her as well." And the story hour continued, no one really wanting to interrupt splinter, only as Leonardo silently made tea for all of them, that tea that Splinter always had some of, and it was a very nice evening for all of them, all six, where they very simply just spend time together, as a family.


End file.
